The outperforming sectors today were represented by the FTSE ST Telecommunications Index, which rose 6.08%. The two biggest stocks of the Index - SingTel and StarHub – ended 6.32% higher and 2.28% higher respectively.

The FBM KLCI index gained 5.69 points or 0.34% on Friday. The Finance Index increased 0.27% to 13897.68 points, the Properties Index dropped 0.37% to 1111.56 points and the Plantation Index rose 0.71% to 7819.89 points. The market traded within a range of 10.09 points between an intra-day high of 1663.77 and a low of 1653.68 during the session.

Vietnam's benchmark VN Index .VNI rose for a third straight session and closed 0.48 percent higher
in thin trade on Friday, the last trading session before the Lunar New Year, or Tet.

Banks led gains with four of the country's six listed lenders advancing. Top lender by market value, Vietcombank

VCB.HM , edged up 0.25 percent, while BIDV BID.HM rose 1.23 percent.

As many as 61.85 million shares changed hands, the lowest since April 24, 2015, Thomson Reuters data showed.

Markets will be closed from Feb 8 to 12, and resume trading on Feb. 15.

Here is a snapshot of the VN Index .VNI at the close
.
VN Index 544.75
PREV. CLOSE 542.15
% CHANGE +0.48%

HIGH 545.54
LOW 540.64

Asean

SE Asia Stocks-Indonesia shares outperform on Q4 GDP, inflows

Southeast Asian stock markets advanced on Friday as investors bought shares ahead of holidays,
with Indonesian stocks rising to a near six-month high on upbeat economic data and Singapore Telecommunications boosting the city-state's benchmark.

Singtel shares were the biggest gainers, up 6.3 percent, after the company's Australian subsidiary, Optus, bought
airwaves in the 1800 MHz spectrum band for A$196 million, helping it expand its 4G high-speed network in the country.

The Jakarta composite index .JKSE rallied 2.9 percent on the day and 4 percent on the week and was Southeast Asia's best performer. Indonesia's economy grew a better-than-expected 5.04 percent from a year earlier in the final quarter of
2015.

Foreign investors bought a net 2.3 trillion rupiah ($168.87 million) worth of shares, taking the net purchase on the week to 2.7 trillion rupiah. It was the second week of net inflows and after net selling in January.

Other markets in the region extended gains in the face of a weaker U.S. currency and subdued expectations for a Fed rate hike this year. Focus in global equities shifted to U.S. monthly jobs numbers expected later in the day.

All share markets in Southeast Asia, except Thailand, will be closed on Monday for the Lunar New Year holiday. Singapore and Malaysia will remain closed through Tuesday and Vietnam for the rest of the week.

It is commonplace in journalism to write two types of articles at the transition point between the year that has passed and the New Year. As this writer qualifies as an “old hand” in observing Thailand with a track record dating back 14 years, it is time take a shot at what may unfold in Thailand in 2011.

The first issue that can’t be answered is the health of Thailand’s beloved King Bhumibol, who is now 83 years old. He is the world's longest reigning monarch, but elaborate birthday celebrations in December failed to mask concern over his health. More